Martin Rayet, Martyn McMahon, Joe McMahon and me decided to stay rather than travel so booked in local at Stour Cross Farm. Excellent accommodation. I travelled with Joe McMahon. first thing was breakfast at the Riverside Cafe which is just around the corner from Todber on the A30. Martin thought the breakfast was good but I had a differing view, but it Hobson's choice. Apparently new management on the way. However they were kind enough to open especially for us at 8 every morning.
Day One:
Seventy two anglers fishing. First day it's an open draw. The talk was you wanted White Post first as the fishing rapidly declines. Into the draw bag and out comes peg 45 on Hillview. This meant we would be on White Post last. However, I was happy with the peg especially as there was a really cold Northerly blowing which meant I would have it off my left shoulder. It's common knowledge that the fish at this venue follow the wind, so expected the fishing to be harder than normal but would hopefully be improved by better presentation. For company in corner peg 44 I had Lee Woodhouse, always good company and a very experienced angler. I set up the waggler which although I could feed miles the wind was producing a very strong tow. So really only had a couple of casts. Next was a 4x14 F1 Winter to fish at top-set plus two down the shelf and a 0.3 gram paste float to optimistically fish on the top-set. I started on the long line with initially 4 mm expander over a mix of 4's and micro. I had a couple of small Carp but was getting bitted out by Tench etc...so switched to corn which improved the length of time in the water so caught a few more small Carp. Most anglers in the section were struggling except Mark Wynne on spit end peg 48 who was catching well on the Method. To Lee's amazement half way through I decided to try the paste on the top-set over hard 4's which I had been carefully loose feeding since the start and also to my amazement I had a Carp first try. I stayed on this to the end catching the odd better fish but the peg never really came good near the end as expected. I weighed 65 lb 2 oz for 9 points.
The section was won by Mark Wynne (pictured right) with 169 lb 6 oz from peg 48. Mark caught around 100 + lb on the Method using maggot in GB with maggot on the hook. And the same baits down his RH margin.
My choice of peg today would have been peg 43 which had the wind on the side and was just in the ripple.
I like my Silver fishing so had to photograph any decent Bream as the one pictured upper right.
Back to the Farm then off for a few pints and some food at the Stapleton Arms. Very poor service and food below average. But we did have some fun trying to get a taxi back, luckily a Gurkha came to the rescue. Both Joe and Martin did well picking up superpools money and more importantly good section points.
Section weigh sheet - Day One:
Day Two:
This morning with Joe still in bed we couldn't get out the door because Joe nominated himself chief of security and had the door key under his pillow!
Rotation now set so will be on either Ash or Homeground. Into the draw tub and out came peg 76. I believe Eddie Green won the match the day before with over 200 lb who also won the biggest fish a Common Carp weighing 20 lb 9 oz on Hillview. So hopefully some fish around still I hoped. The wind had subsided and swinging round to the North West so not so cold but we did have a frost at the Farm.
Rotation now set so will be on either Ash or Homeground. Into the draw tub and out came peg 76. I believe Eddie Green won the match the day before with over 200 lb who also won the biggest fish a Common Carp weighing 20 lb 9 oz on Hillview. So hopefully some fish around still I hoped. The wind had subsided and swinging round to the North West so not so cold but we did have a frost at the Farm.
I have been influenced by the meat heads they cut me a tin so I set up a 4x10 Yoof for the margin both at three section towards the corner and short on the top-set. Also the paste rig was duly set-up and the 4x14 F1 to fish at three sections I started on this line with meat over kindered meat and had a couple of Carp but with most soft baits fished on bottom long you get pestered by Silvers. So this line was abandoned in favour of the long margin meat line which did produce some Carp but only when the wind blew into it otherwise I was foul hooking!! Long line now abandoned in favour of the paste rig which again caught a few Carp but foul hooking was prevalent. I fished the last couple of hours on the top-set with meat in 18 inches of water with a similar pattern of catching when there was ripple and foul hooking when not. I weighed 115 lb 12 oz for 7 section points. however it was a very fair and tight section a couple of more Carp would have made a big difference.
My choice of peg would have been peg 90 because I've always wanted to fish it, which was occupied by my chancey pairs partner Andy Shanks. A new friend isn't that what angling also about. We finished in 18 place with 367 lb.
The section was won by Senior England International Mark Harper with 141 lb 3 oz from peg 86 and was a very close call with Mark Poppleton on next peg just 13 oz separating them. mark had a quick 25 lb on the Method then switched to the pole with meat.
It was Lee Woodhouse's turn to catch a big Bream (pictured right). This was one of a 30 lb catch of them.
Once again Martin and Joe did well with more pools money and great section points.
I have learnt Joe is a very friendly lad he stops by any angler willing to talk to him which left the remaining three of us waiting for him to either get to his peg or get back - typically pictured right.
Back to the Farm then off to the Kings Arm for a carvery where we met up with Mark Taylor, Joker Chris Shipp and the rest of the Shipp family. Very popular place, the food was reasonable but nowhere near the Special One's.
Unfortunately today Dan White found himself pegged between pensioners Mark Taylor and Martyn McMahon on Hillview.
Section Weigh Sheet - Day Two:
Day 3:
My turn on White Post and top Lake peg 15 for me. Des Shipp had it the day before and weighed 100 lb. I had a chat with him and he said he wouldn't want it today. I asked about using the waggler but as I found out his advice was correct with the fluff on the water hindering its use. Martin the day before had caught on maggot over loose fed maggot from peg 10. - very few small Silvers in White Post Lakes so maggot a good choice. Joe had drawn peg 88 on Homeground but first had to drop me off. Joe is such a well mannered lad he not only dropped me off but carried my tackle to my peg then cut me some meat cutting his hand in the process. Now with Joe needing a section win to win the three dayer I was worried he wouldn't get tackled up in time. Apparently when he arrived at his peg everyone was tackled up. However, in Joe's calm and collected manner tackled up and won his section - no stress from this lad.
For company I had Freddy Robert on end peg 13 but not for long as he buggered off early. I'm not sure why because Fred was doing as good as anyone in the section at the time.
I couldn't help myself and set the waggler rod up to fish maggot over to the far side which was about 22 metres away. Des was right after one Rudd and 5 casts the rod rings were full of fluff which was very difficult to unpick. The upshot was I fished the one rig a 4x12 F1 Winter initially at top-set plus 3 sections with 4 mm expander on the hooked fished over kindered micro which resulted in catching the strangely scaled Carrasio's regularly for three hours I then switched the same rig to top-set plus two sections round to 2 o'clock where I had been priming it with LR's. It was instant a Bream first put in. I then mixed up some GB and started to pot this and I was resulted in catching Carp to 4 lb regularly but never manic. So I nice steady match same rig all match except I had to got up to 0.16 hook length because the Carp would accelerate off as soon as they felt the hook travelling 20 metres in one second!! very fit "non-domesticated" Carp.
I finished with 35 lb of Carrasio's and 39 lb of Carp including one Rudd and one Bream for a section winning 74 lb. This venue suited me today as the Method and the pellet long Carp Slaying didn't work - needed some finesse.
Section Weigh Sheet - Day Three:
Our group did well with Joe winning overall and picking up over the three days £2,250 with 4 points. He also won the chancey pairs with Calum Craig. Martin Rayet came fourth with 6 points and I won the over 65's with 17 points. So a happy bunch travelling home.
For the overall results see the Todber FB page being published Wednesday.
A great 3 days to remember. Thanks lads and especially Joe for his help to the aged and of course John Candy and his humour.
Winner photos:
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